A look back at famous First Pets—plus pointers for picking the perfect pooch

Presidential Pets: A Retrospective

Presidential Pets: A Retrospective

Barack Obama’s election-night promise to get his daughters a puppy has gotten more attention in the last week than his stance on foreign policy. Has the country gone to the dogs? Nah. We’d just rather chat about the “first puppy” than the price of gas for a while. Indeed, Obama noted during his most recent news conference that the yet-to-be-chosen pet has generated more interest than anything else on his website. Here, our effort to help him pick: a look back at notable White House canines—and other presidential pets—plus tips to help every family choose the most suitable pooch.

Bill Clinton: Buddy, chocolate Labrador retriever

Bill Clinton: Buddy, chocolate Labrador retriever

Perhaps best known for his contentious relationship with Socks the cat, Buddy joined the Clinton family in 1997. He was named for President Clinton's great-uncle, Henry Oren "Buddy" Grisham, a dog trainer whom Clinton called a father fig